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Estevan Humane Society received $5,000 infrastructure grant for its new facility

The Estevan Humane Society (EHS) received one out of the 20 infrastructure grants awarded by the Western Communities Foundation (WCF). The information about the award was a pleasant surprise for the EHS president Angela Prette.

The Estevan Humane Society (EHS) received one out of the 20 infrastructure grants awarded by the Western Communities Foundation (WCF). The information about the award was a pleasant surprise for the EHS president Angela Prette.

“The member who had applied for all of the grants last year has since retired her position with us,” Prette said. “We apply for dozens of grants each year and might only receive two. So this is pretty amazing. We haven’t heard from Western Financial about this one yet.”

The grant is $5,000 and it will go towards a new facility construction.

Prette noted that being a non-profit organization, the EHS often runs short of funding.

“It is difficult to keep afloat with funding. It’s quite expensive to run a no kill shelter. We rely heavily on our three major fundraisers: Dr. Howard (memorial) Dog Jog, Judy Martin Duck Derby and the Whiskers & Wine Gala, and also on individual donations and smaller fundraisers throughout the year,” Prette said.

Unfortunately, with the slower economy it’s becoming more and more difficult for the Humane Society to keep the doors open and lights on.

“Lately we have been coming up short and have been working hard to keep everything going. With the economy the way it is in Estevan it’s understandable and we can’t really expect people to give like they used to,” Prette said.

She said that it would be a big help if people wanted to have their own fundraisers in the Humane Society’s name.

“We ask that they contact us for a third party fundraiser form and then we can help them out as best we can with social media promotion and use of our logo. This also ensures the public that funding will for surely get to us as unfortunately there has been misleading fundraisers in the past,” Prette said.  

In the meanwhile, the WCF grant should significantly help with the constructing a new shelter.

Other infrastructure grants awarded by the WCF went to five organizations in Alberta, 12 in British Columbia and two in Manitoba. Estevan Humane Society was the only organization to receive the WCF funding in Saskatchewan.

All together the WCF handed $300,000 in grants and bursaries in 2018. Money was raised through the annual Support the Cause walk, Fall Classic Golf Tournament and other events. With the help of employees and supporters the WCF has raised more than $3.1 million since 2002.